Report, edit, etc...Posted by Forsaken on 2006-02-15 at 12:22:49
Well, I say by the time March comes around, I should have about ~$1300. I've been looking into buying a new computer for some time now.
But, I kind of thought... Would it be cheaper to just build a computer from the ground up? Would it be better? Etc... So I am wondering... What would I need in order to build one. And, where should I purchase the parts?
I guess I am saying, where do I go, and what should I buy?
But, I kind of thought... Would it be cheaper to just build a computer from the ground up? Would it be better? Etc... So I am wondering... What would I need in order to build one. And, where should I purchase the parts?
I guess I am saying, where do I go, and what should I buy?
Report, edit, etc...Posted by Kow on 2006-02-15 at 15:39:18
http://newegg.com/
You can get an uber awesome computer (well parts
) for 1700, but you can get a lot for 1300 too.
You can get an uber awesome computer (well parts
) for 1700, but you can get a lot for 1300 too.Report, edit, etc...Posted by Centreri on 2006-02-15 at 16:16:13
I heard that computers are specially tested if you buy the whole thing, and the parts are specially tuned to work well with one another, so it might be better to buy whole thing. Not sure, though.
Report, edit, etc...Posted by PCFredZ on 2006-02-15 at 16:28:38
Forsaken, how much technical skills do you have? Prior computer assembly experience? Etc.
Report, edit, etc...Posted by Deathawk on 2006-02-15 at 16:39:38
Yes, it is cheaper, unless you can get a sweet deal.
You'd probabaly want a high end computer with $1300 dollars.
To build a computer...
You need a case, power supply, monitor, pointing device, keyboard, processor, RAM, graphics card, sound card, optical drive(Preferably a DVD drive with r/rw capatbillities) motherboard, an operating system, an ethernet card, speakers, and some other optional stuff.
For system specs...
Look for...
3 Ghz
1 GB RAM
160 GB HD, preferably SATA.
A video card, 256mb DDR memory, preferably PCI-E
A decent monitor, CRT or LCD, doesn't really matter.
http://www.computershopper.com
Even if you don't buy there, it's a good place to find price ranges
You'd probabaly want a high end computer with $1300 dollars.
To build a computer...
You need a case, power supply, monitor, pointing device, keyboard, processor, RAM, graphics card, sound card, optical drive(Preferably a DVD drive with r/rw capatbillities) motherboard, an operating system, an ethernet card, speakers, and some other optional stuff.
For system specs...
Look for...
3 Ghz
1 GB RAM
160 GB HD, preferably SATA.
A video card, 256mb DDR memory, preferably PCI-E
A decent monitor, CRT or LCD, doesn't really matter.
http://www.computershopper.com
Even if you don't buy there, it's a good place to find price ranges
Report, edit, etc...Posted by Forsaken on 2006-02-15 at 17:14:32
Well, I am researching how to put computers together. But, I also have a friend that can assist if that is needed(Most likely will be). And if something doesn't work, I still have access to this computer. (Family computer, would like my own).
Report, edit, etc...Posted by greenreaper on 2006-02-15 at 18:21:59
First, you need to decide what you want your computer to be. Then either go to the shop and buy it or build one yourself. Building your own computer has its advantages and disadvantages. For the most part, it's cheaper to build a computer. You can customize whatever you want in the computer, like motherboard, sound card, graphics cards, hard drive, memory etc. Oh, but wait. There's also a downfall. "Custom" built computers are not always completely stable (even though you put everything together "perfectly"). Your computer may crash for no reason, or have weird errors. On the other hand, computers bought from a store have been tested for stability. All in all, it may be cheaper to build your own computer, but stability is a risk you take. Also, some computers sold in stores are actually a good deal. For example, take my computer.
Intel Pentium 4 Processor 640 with HT Technology
512 MB DDR (400mHz)
Windows XP Media Center Edition
Integrated Graphics (Intel Graphics Media Accelerator)
800 MHz FSB with 2MB L2 Cache
DVD+R Double-Layer burner
250 GB SATA (7200 RPM)
and little others things like media card reader, network card, integrated audio.
My computer cost $800 in the store, but after rebates it is $600.
A Pentium 4 640 costs at the cheapest $214 on pricegrabber.
250GB SATA (7200) - ~$100
Windows XP Media Center Edition - ~$120
512 MB DDR RAM - ~$50
DVD+R Burner - ~$40
The total of those come up to about......$524. I know the whole computer cost $600 after rebates. That's about an $80 difference. That $80 could be for the motherboard - with 800 MHZ FSB & 2MB L2 Cache. I saw a dual-core computer in Best Buys last month, and each processor had only 256kb L2 cache! Anywho, as you can see the price JUST ABOUT breaks even. Oh but wait, you want to get a good graphics card! EVGA e-geforce 7300 is ~$80. So, yeah. In this case, building my own computer would have saved me around $100. If you really want to save money, then build your own computer. But with $100 more, you get customer support, and peace of mind of the stability of your computer. Also, it's hassle-free as you just plug your new store-bought computer in.
Okay, in conclusion of this long, long post, whether or not you want to build a computer or buy it is all up to you. It depends on your needs, and the time you are willing to spend. Store-bought computers may need to be upgraded a bit, but hey, it sure is a lot less hassle than buildling your own computer. Building your own computer is cheaper, but you risk stability.
Intel Pentium 4 Processor 640 with HT Technology
512 MB DDR (400mHz)
Windows XP Media Center Edition
Integrated Graphics (Intel Graphics Media Accelerator)
800 MHz FSB with 2MB L2 Cache
DVD+R Double-Layer burner
250 GB SATA (7200 RPM)
and little others things like media card reader, network card, integrated audio.
My computer cost $800 in the store, but after rebates it is $600.
A Pentium 4 640 costs at the cheapest $214 on pricegrabber.
250GB SATA (7200) - ~$100
Windows XP Media Center Edition - ~$120
512 MB DDR RAM - ~$50
DVD+R Burner - ~$40
The total of those come up to about......$524. I know the whole computer cost $600 after rebates. That's about an $80 difference. That $80 could be for the motherboard - with 800 MHZ FSB & 2MB L2 Cache. I saw a dual-core computer in Best Buys last month, and each processor had only 256kb L2 cache! Anywho, as you can see the price JUST ABOUT breaks even. Oh but wait, you want to get a good graphics card! EVGA e-geforce 7300 is ~$80. So, yeah. In this case, building my own computer would have saved me around $100. If you really want to save money, then build your own computer. But with $100 more, you get customer support, and peace of mind of the stability of your computer. Also, it's hassle-free as you just plug your new store-bought computer in.
Okay, in conclusion of this long, long post, whether or not you want to build a computer or buy it is all up to you. It depends on your needs, and the time you are willing to spend. Store-bought computers may need to be upgraded a bit, but hey, it sure is a lot less hassle than buildling your own computer. Building your own computer is cheaper, but you risk stability.
Report, edit, etc...Posted by DT_Battlekruser on 2006-02-15 at 19:56:41
QUOTE
For system specs...
Look for...
3 Ghz
1 GB RAM
160 GB HD, preferably SATA.
A video card, 256mb DDR memory, preferably PCI-E
A decent monitor, CRT or LCD, doesn't really matter.
Look for...
3 Ghz
1 GB RAM
160 GB HD, preferably SATA.
A video card, 256mb DDR memory, preferably PCI-E
A decent monitor, CRT or LCD, doesn't really matter.
Intel processors suck. For gaming, you want AMD.
And also for gaming I'd suggest doubling the RAM. I'm building a computer something like this
Cooler Master Centurion 5 Case
APSIRE ATX-CW500WP4 500-watt power supplt
CD/DVD +/- RW Drive
CD/DVD ROM Drive
Multimedia/Floppy Drive
ASUS A8N5X Socket 939 Mohterboard
AMD Athlon 64 4000+ San Diego at 2.4GHz
Seagate 7200.7 200GB hard drive
Kingston Value RAM 1GBx2
eVGA 256MB nVIDIA GeForce 7800GT - SLI supported
Some 19" black LCD monitor
It's about $1500, plus OS, speakers (need to look for those, or just get some from my dad's office) and shipping. That's about 35% less than what you could get it for on, say, Alienware.
And like Kow said, newegg is the way to go for computer parts. They're excellent about replacing broken parts and things like that.
Report, edit, etc...Posted by MindArchon on 2006-02-15 at 20:00:41
I've actually wanted to build a computer for awhile now, but can anyone point to some good resources on what to do once you actually have the parts?
Report, edit, etc...Posted by DT_Battlekruser on 2006-02-15 at 20:02:35
http://www.mysuperpc.com/
It's really kind of obvious though. The case has a slot for everything and you just stick it in and connect the wires. Just make sure everything is compatible before you order (MB processor pins, MB power pins, monitor/graphics card linkup, etc.)
It's really kind of obvious though. The case has a slot for everything and you just stick it in and connect the wires. Just make sure everything is compatible before you order (MB processor pins, MB power pins, monitor/graphics card linkup, etc.)
Report, edit, etc...Posted by nimadude on 2006-02-15 at 20:08:35
Firstly, it is MUCH better to build your own computer. You will save a lot, as long as you know what you are doing.
Do not buy pentiums for gaming. AMD cpus own pentium and are cheaper. Do not buy AMD sempron, only Amd athlon 64, amd X2 or amd FX (x2 = dual core, FX for hardcore gaming)
The main components in a computer are, from a gamer's perspective:
Motherboard
Hard disk drive
Optical Drive (CD-rom/DVD-Rom drive)
Graphics Card (this will be your main component for gaming)
CPU (works with graphics card to output gaming performance)
RAM (1 Gig is sufficient for most games)
Now, let me explain to you a few things to look out for in each of the components.
CPU)
Do not buy pentium cpus for gaming. AMD cpus own pentium and are cheaper, however pentium is good at multitasking. Do not judge a processor by the clockspeed (Ie GHZ), as pentiums run at higher clockspeeds than AMDs, yet AMDs can out perform pentiums at much lower clockspeed, hence running cooler. Do not buy AMD sempron. Only buy Amd athlon 64, amd X2 or amd FX (x2 = dual core, FX for hardcore gaming). If you want to multitask, AMD X2 is good for that as it is dual core, dual core is not very good for gaming as mostly 1 core will be used. AMD FX is good for advanced users who wish to overclock and is in the 1000~ range so I dont think you would buy one of these. Only compare clockspeed with other amd products that are in the same product line (IE X2s, FX, etc). remember, NO sempron, it is a budget version. Celeron is the pentium version of this.
Motherboard)
Make sure you do not buy a VIA chipset motherboard. I bought one of these and my computer crashes every 2 days, it is an incompatibility problem. Make sure to buy Socket 939 (CPU socket) motherboard with PCI-E compatibility (used for graphics cards). Preferably an Asus A8n-SLI deluxe, this is a very good motherboard.
Graphics Card)
For your budget, I reccomend an Nvidia 6600 GT, which can be bought at around 100-200 Canadian dollars. Make sure you get GT, not normal 6600. If you are a radeon fan boy, for best use of your money you are better off buying the latest models, because the Radeon equivalent for 6600GT sucks.
Hard Disk Drive)
Make sure you buy a SATA2 hard drive. Seagate harddrives = Quiet. Western digital harddrives = performance. You wont really notice a noise difference so you are better off getting performance > noise. Maxtor also make some really nice drives, with 16MB harddrive cache. Most harddrives have 8mb cache. Cache is the sector of the harddrive which stores temporary information at hand, allowing for faster browsing.. Kinda like a ram.
RAM)
For your budget, some generic ram is all that you need. Unless you are a hardcore overclocker, all that you need to look out for in RAM is the memory size (1gb should be fine). Just make sure it is DDR 3200 ram, as DDR2 is not supported by AMDs. However, AMDs are ready for 64bit computing future as opposed to pentium which have yet to release 64bit processors (as far as I know).
Optical Drive)
Just get a pioneer 110 DVD burner, can also burn cds, read dvds, read cds and everything. With blue ray and HD DVD coming soon, DVDs will soon = CDs.
EDIT: If you are new to computer building, I reccomend you let an experienced person do it for you. If you know of noone, most computer stores will build it for around 100 bucks. If you short circuit something or break something whilst installing it yourself, you wont be covered.
Do not buy pentiums for gaming. AMD cpus own pentium and are cheaper. Do not buy AMD sempron, only Amd athlon 64, amd X2 or amd FX (x2 = dual core, FX for hardcore gaming)
The main components in a computer are, from a gamer's perspective:
Motherboard
Hard disk drive
Optical Drive (CD-rom/DVD-Rom drive)
Graphics Card (this will be your main component for gaming)
CPU (works with graphics card to output gaming performance)
RAM (1 Gig is sufficient for most games)
Now, let me explain to you a few things to look out for in each of the components.
CPU)
Do not buy pentium cpus for gaming. AMD cpus own pentium and are cheaper, however pentium is good at multitasking. Do not judge a processor by the clockspeed (Ie GHZ), as pentiums run at higher clockspeeds than AMDs, yet AMDs can out perform pentiums at much lower clockspeed, hence running cooler. Do not buy AMD sempron. Only buy Amd athlon 64, amd X2 or amd FX (x2 = dual core, FX for hardcore gaming). If you want to multitask, AMD X2 is good for that as it is dual core, dual core is not very good for gaming as mostly 1 core will be used. AMD FX is good for advanced users who wish to overclock and is in the 1000~ range so I dont think you would buy one of these. Only compare clockspeed with other amd products that are in the same product line (IE X2s, FX, etc). remember, NO sempron, it is a budget version. Celeron is the pentium version of this.
Motherboard)
Make sure you do not buy a VIA chipset motherboard. I bought one of these and my computer crashes every 2 days, it is an incompatibility problem. Make sure to buy Socket 939 (CPU socket) motherboard with PCI-E compatibility (used for graphics cards). Preferably an Asus A8n-SLI deluxe, this is a very good motherboard.
Graphics Card)
For your budget, I reccomend an Nvidia 6600 GT, which can be bought at around 100-200 Canadian dollars. Make sure you get GT, not normal 6600. If you are a radeon fan boy, for best use of your money you are better off buying the latest models, because the Radeon equivalent for 6600GT sucks.
Hard Disk Drive)
Make sure you buy a SATA2 hard drive. Seagate harddrives = Quiet. Western digital harddrives = performance. You wont really notice a noise difference so you are better off getting performance > noise. Maxtor also make some really nice drives, with 16MB harddrive cache. Most harddrives have 8mb cache. Cache is the sector of the harddrive which stores temporary information at hand, allowing for faster browsing.. Kinda like a ram.
RAM)
For your budget, some generic ram is all that you need. Unless you are a hardcore overclocker, all that you need to look out for in RAM is the memory size (1gb should be fine). Just make sure it is DDR 3200 ram, as DDR2 is not supported by AMDs. However, AMDs are ready for 64bit computing future as opposed to pentium which have yet to release 64bit processors (as far as I know).
Optical Drive)
Just get a pioneer 110 DVD burner, can also burn cds, read dvds, read cds and everything. With blue ray and HD DVD coming soon, DVDs will soon = CDs.
EDIT: If you are new to computer building, I reccomend you let an experienced person do it for you. If you know of noone, most computer stores will build it for around 100 bucks. If you short circuit something or break something whilst installing it yourself, you wont be covered.
Report, edit, etc...Posted by DT_Battlekruser on 2006-02-15 at 20:22:51
For once I can agree with you. I'll just weigh in my own opinions.
CPU) Yes, as you said. AMD FX's are really a biznatchload of money though. Here's a price book:
AMD FX-60 Toledo Core $1,020
AMD FX-57 San Diego Core $814
AMD FX-55 San Diego Core $811
AMD Athlon 64 X2 4800+ Toledo Core $630
AMD Athlon 64 X2 4600+ Manchester Core $552
AMD Athlon 64 X2 4200+ Manchester Core $362
AMD Athlon 64 4000+ ClawHammer Core $335
AMD Athlon 64 4000+ San Diego Core $334
and so on
Motherboard) Yup.
Graphics Card) They're a pain in the ass to upgrade so I suggest going big. You can get NVIDIA 7800 GT's under $300 easily.
Hard Drive) Not a huge deal for gaming, just get a decent-sized one. Large caches are nice.
RAM) It's fine to start small on RAM, it's easily upgradable. Be sure to get fat cards though, one 1GB card is much better than 4 256MB cards as it allows for more upgradability.
Optical) Yeah, DVD burner is useful. It can be nice to have two drives for disk-to-disk copies.
CPU) Yes, as you said. AMD FX's are really a biznatchload of money though. Here's a price book:
AMD FX-60 Toledo Core $1,020
AMD FX-57 San Diego Core $814
AMD FX-55 San Diego Core $811
AMD Athlon 64 X2 4800+ Toledo Core $630
AMD Athlon 64 X2 4600+ Manchester Core $552
AMD Athlon 64 X2 4200+ Manchester Core $362
AMD Athlon 64 4000+ ClawHammer Core $335
AMD Athlon 64 4000+ San Diego Core $334
and so on
Motherboard) Yup.
Graphics Card) They're a pain in the ass to upgrade so I suggest going big. You can get NVIDIA 7800 GT's under $300 easily.
Hard Drive) Not a huge deal for gaming, just get a decent-sized one. Large caches are nice.
RAM) It's fine to start small on RAM, it's easily upgradable. Be sure to get fat cards though, one 1GB card is much better than 4 256MB cards as it allows for more upgradability.
Optical) Yeah, DVD burner is useful. It can be nice to have two drives for disk-to-disk copies.
Report, edit, etc...Posted by Infested-Jerk on 2006-02-15 at 20:50:08
Since no one mentioned it, (And because I'm good with easy software as opposed to hardware)
1: Make sure you get good speakers, I've had problems where they suddenly die, don't work, ect.
2: Get a decent mouse. If you're like me, after a couple of years the left button will stop working as well, so get a more hardy mouse. One with a scroll wheel is a godsend
3: keyboard
Get one that can do what you need.
4: Printers
Don;t get. Unless you like printing porn or something, what use is a printer in starcraft?
1: Make sure you get good speakers, I've had problems where they suddenly die, don't work, ect.
2: Get a decent mouse. If you're like me, after a couple of years the left button will stop working as well, so get a more hardy mouse. One with a scroll wheel is a godsend
3: keyboard
Get one that can do what you need.
4: Printers
Don;t get. Unless you like printing porn or something, what use is a printer in starcraft?
Report, edit, etc...Posted by LegacyWeapon on 2006-02-15 at 20:50:12
AMD is better at overclocking RAM and graphics card to play better games while Pentium is good for Multimedia.
Report, edit, etc...Posted by nimadude on 2006-02-15 at 21:10:04
QUOTE(LegacyWeapon @ Feb 15 2006, 05:50 PM)
AMD is better at overclocking RAM and graphics card to play better games while Pentium is good for Multimedia.
[right][snapback]428146[/snapback][/right]
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Even without OC AMD outperforms pentium in gaming
Report, edit, etc...Posted by SkuLL on 2006-02-15 at 21:23:37
If you never had any experiance, don't try it. It's not easy.
Report, edit, etc...Posted by Forsaken on 2006-02-15 at 22:06:20
Well, here goes... This is the PC I would like to build and own.
Case:
COOLER MASTER Centurion 532 $74.99
CD Drive:
LITE-ON Black ATAPI
Floppy:$54.99
SONY Black 1.44MB External USB Floppy Drive $24.99
Motherboard:
ASUS A8N-SLI Premium ATX AMD Motherboard$166.99
Processor:
AMD Athlon 64 X2 4800+ 1GHz FSB Socket 939 Dual Core Processor$429.00
Harddrive:
SAMSUNG SpinPoint P Series 250GB$95.00
RAM:
CORSAIR ValueSelect 1GB (2 x 512MB)$75.99
Videocard:
eVGA Geforce 7800GTX $434.00
Monitor:
Buying used.
Missing anything?
EDIT:
Hmm.... I just looked at something...
Could this possibly be a better deal?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...N82E16883103005
Case:
COOLER MASTER Centurion 532 $74.99
CD Drive:
LITE-ON Black ATAPI
Floppy:$54.99
SONY Black 1.44MB External USB Floppy Drive $24.99
Motherboard:
ASUS A8N-SLI Premium ATX AMD Motherboard$166.99
Processor:
AMD Athlon 64 X2 4800+ 1GHz FSB Socket 939 Dual Core Processor$429.00
Harddrive:
SAMSUNG SpinPoint P Series 250GB$95.00
RAM:
CORSAIR ValueSelect 1GB (2 x 512MB)$75.99
Videocard:
eVGA Geforce 7800GTX $434.00
Monitor:
Buying used.
Missing anything?
EDIT:
Hmm.... I just looked at something...
Could this possibly be a better deal?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...N82E16883103005
Report, edit, etc...Posted by Toothfariy on 2006-02-15 at 22:57:10
lol...
go to circuit city and ask about a free computer. my cousion got one from circut city cause of all the rebates and coupons they offer. in about 3 months it pays for itself. im not sure about ne details but basicly all you got to do is have enough monry to make a deposit.
(you didn't hear this from me)
go to circuit city and ask about a free computer. my cousion got one from circut city cause of all the rebates and coupons they offer. in about 3 months it pays for itself. im not sure about ne details but basicly all you got to do is have enough monry to make a deposit.
(you didn't hear this from me)
Report, edit, etc...Posted by nimadude on 2006-02-15 at 23:17:33
QUOTE(Forsaken @ Feb 15 2006, 07:06 PM)
Hmm.... I just looked at something...
Could this possibly be a better deal?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...N82E16883103005
[right][snapback]428229[/snapback][/right]
Could this possibly be a better deal?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...N82E16883103005
[right][snapback]428229[/snapback][/right]
No, that graphics card is only good for 2D graphics. LOL na but it really sucks
I would prefer a pioneer optical drive, but thats just me
And also the harddrive sucks, its not SATA 2.
Report, edit, etc...Posted by Forsaken on 2006-02-15 at 23:18:49
QUOTE(nimadude @ Feb 15 2006, 08:17 PM)
No, that graphics card is only good for 2D graphics. LOL na but it really sucks
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I wouldn't know... Bu, thanks for the info... Hmm... If I replaced it would it be good? Because I really don't know enough about things like this...
Report, edit, etc...Posted by nimadude on 2006-02-15 at 23:21:24
QUOTE(Forsaken @ Feb 15 2006, 08:18 PM)
I wouldn't know... Bu, thanks for the info... Hmm... If I replaced it would it be good? Because I really don't know enough about things like this...
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Any radeon product with SE behind it = piece of crap.
By the way try getting 1 stick of 1 gig ram, not 2x512. You see, you have a limited amount of ram slots, and the fewer you use, the more room you have for upgrading ram later on without throwing out old ram.
check my previous post again by the way, I edited it like 5 times lol.
Report, edit, etc...Posted by Deathawk on 2006-02-15 at 23:53:36
May I ask what type of games you play? Or rather, what games you will play?
You don't want a 500 dollar graphics card for a 2000 game, just so you know. But I guess, you'd be a little more optioned when you get a better graphics card, so meh.
You don't want a 500 dollar graphics card for a 2000 game, just so you know. But I guess, you'd be a little more optioned when you get a better graphics card, so meh.
Report, edit, etc...Posted by Forsaken on 2006-02-15 at 23:55:06
Well, games like WoW... FEAR... I don't know... Games that appeal to me... But, for the most part... High-end games.
Report, edit, etc...Posted by greenreaper on 2006-02-16 at 00:12:23
Does the ASUS motherboard have a Nvidia chipset?
Report, edit, etc...Posted by Forsaken on 2006-02-16 at 00:14:16
QUOTE(greenreaper @ Feb 15 2006, 09:12 PM)
Does the ASUS motherboard have a Nvidia chipset?
[right][snapback]428313[/snapback][/right]
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Not a clue...
But, meh... I need about $400. So, about a month until I get my own system. Yay!
